Kuki Shinobu temporarily stayed at Futsu Mitama's house. For the next few days, she would be working together with him. It wasn't unusual—she had stayed there before, and with the house's size, Futsu Mitama didn't mind. Let alone one Kuki Shinobu, even ten of her could have fit comfortably.
Night soon deepened.
Even though it was late, Futsu Mitama and the others hadn't gone to bed yet. They still had one thing to do: to test the miko outfit that Kuki Shinobu had obtained through sign-in. Items from that group rarely appeared without purpose.
With Kuki Shinobu's consent, Futsu Mitama asked Aila to try it on. After all, he was a grown man—crossdressing was absolutely out of the question. Crossdressing was impossible; he would never do that in his life.
Aila didn't object. She calmly removed her usual maid outfit and slipped into the miko attire that Kuki Shinobu had signed for.
"..."
Aila glanced down at the outfit, her expression subtly conflicted. It exposed more than the traditional miko garb she'd seen at the Grand Narukami Shrine—it carried an air of suggestiveness.
"Hmm. Not bad."
Observing from the side, Kuki Shinobu's eyes lit up slightly. "I didn't expect Aila to have such a unique charm wearing a miko outfit," she said, glancing at Futsu Mitama.
"As expected. After seeing her in a maid outfit so many times, anything else feels refreshing."
Indeed, since meeting Aila, Kuki Shinobu had never seen her in any other clothing. Whether in private or at festivals, she always wore her maid uniform. Perhaps that was why seeing her in this new attire made Kuki Shinobu feel oddly delighted.
Though she disliked miko work, her family was of miko lineage—her mother and sister often wore the same garb. But seeing someone else wear one and wearing it herself were two entirely different things.
"Indeed," Futsu Mitama nodded. He felt the same, though unlike Kuki Shinobu, he had seen Aila wear other clothing before. Still, the outfit's appearance wasn't the main point. What mattered now was the power hidden within it.
"Do you feel anything?" Futsu Mitama asked. From Kuki Shinobu, he already knew this was Reimu's miko outfit—Reimu, the "unscrupulous miko" of Gensokyo, whose strength was said to be immense.
It couldn't possibly be just an ordinary outfit. If it were, it would have long been torn apart during the countless incidents she faced.
Aila didn't answer immediately. Closing her eyes, she focused—then suddenly opened them.
"Buzz—!"
A Water Element mark appeared on her chest. Her miko outfit stirred despite the still air, and the sound of flowing water filled the room. No, it wasn't merely sound—streams of water shimmered into view, circling her like liquid ribbons of light.
"Hmm?" Futsu Mitama narrowed his eyes, surprised.
"What's happening?" Kuki Shinobu muttered, astonished. She was a Vision holder herself, yet she'd never seen such a phenomenon.
Without hesitation, Futsu Mitama opened the Chat Group, recorded the scene, and uploaded it. If anyone could make sense of this, it would be the ornamental fish and the Died God in the group.
[Raiden Makoto: "Hmm??? Who is this?"]
[Sangonomiya Kokomi: "I can actually hear the sound of flowing water... Is this young lady manipulating elemental power directly? Such strength in Inazuma is truly rare."]
[Kuki Shinobu: "She's Aila from the group. I signed in last night and received Reimu's everyday miko outfit. I dislike miko attire, so I gave it to her."]
[Kuki Shinobu: "At the group leader's request, she put it on to test for any power amplification—then this happened."]
[Kuki Shinobu: [Video]—look, the situation changed again."]
[Raiden Makoto: "The sound of streams has vanished... now it's the ocean. Incredible. Has her mastery reached the level of a divine attendant?"]
[Raiden Makoto: "Is this the outfit's amplification? Or her own latent power?"]
[Sangonomiya Kokomi: "A phenomenon of this scale would demand my full strength. Miss Aila is truly remarkable."]
Even veterans like Raiden Makoto and Kokomi were astonished, let alone Futsu Mitama and Kuki Shinobu. Aila slowly opened her eyes, raising her hand. The streams of water coalesced, solidifying into a gleaming tachi. As the blade took form, the water sounds faded, and the surrounding distortions vanished.
"Incredible," Aila murmured. Her usually composed eyes now held a rare glimmer of awe.
"How does it feel?" Futsu Mitama asked, his tone calm but his gaze sharp.
"After putting on this outfit," Aila said, placing her hand over her chest, "I can feel a power within it amplifying my Vision."
The Water Vision beneath the fabric pulsed with dazzling light, radiating far stronger energy than usual. The amplification was extraordinary.
"And I have a feeling," she added seriously, gripping her tachi, "if I were to unleash a strike right now, the resulting commotion would bring the Tenryou Commission here overnight."
It was still the early stage of the Vision Hunt Decree, when Inazuma was restless and volatile. Vision holders clashed with the Shogunate's forces across the city. If Aila released that power here, the shockwave alone might cause chaos.
"Then don't," Futsu Mitama said quickly. The last thing he wanted was another visit from the Tenryou Commission tonight.
He turned to Kuki Shinobu. "Do you still want this miko outfit? The power amplification—"
Before he could finish, Kuki Shinobu firmly shook her head. "No. Power is only for self-defense. I refuse to wear a miko outfit again."
Her distaste for miko garb outweighed any thirst for power.
"Understood." Futsu Mitama nodded. Aila also sheathed her tachi, sensing that if she struck now, the destruction would be immense.
With the test complete, Futsu Mitama, Aila, and Kuki Shinobu each returned to their rooms for the night.
>
The night passed swiftly.
The next morning, when Futsu Mitama woke, he found that Aila and Kuki Shinobu had already finished breakfast and were sparring in the courtyard.
"Clang, clang, clang—!"
Tachi and dagger collided in a flurry of motion. In the courtyard, Aila and Kuki Shinobu exchanged rapid blows, their expressions sharp and focused.
Even though Kuki Shinobu had lost her Vision and could no longer wield Electro energy, her martial skills were formidable—enough to fight Kujou Sara to a draw. Yet now, she was steadily being suppressed by Aila through sheer technique.
On the surface, the duel looked evenly matched, but Kuki Shinobu knew she was being drawn into Aila's rhythm. Given enough time, she would inevitably lose. Futsu Mitama, having just washed up, grabbed a rice ball—he wasn't sure whether Aila or Kuki Shinobu had made it—and began eating while watching the fight unfold.
He had to admit, battles between women were far more graceful than those between men.
"Clang, clang, clang—!!"
The sounds of steel clashing echoed for several minutes before both women leapt back in perfect synchrony, disengaging.
"So strong," Kuki Shinobu said with a sigh, sheathing her dagger. "You've gotten even stronger. If you hadn't held back, I'd probably be on the ground."
Half a year ago, she could still spar with Aila on equal footing. Now, she couldn't keep up at all. The speed of Aila's improvement was astonishing.
"You waste too much time on other things," Aila replied calmly, putting away her tachi. "Whenever I have free time, I train."
Kuki Shinobu smiled wryly. "That explains it. I really don't know where Futsu Mitama found someone like you. You're a treasure."
A hint of admiration shone in her eyes. A capable, loyal, and diligent maid like Aila—who wouldn't envy that?
"..."
Aila turned to her young master, who was eating. "Young Master, are you satisfied with today's onigiri?"
"It's delicious. I like it very much," he said with a nod and a smile. Finishing his breakfast, he stood and stretched. "It's about time. We should head to Ritou."
"If we're lucky, we can catch a free meal at the International Chamber of Commerce and see how their wine sales are going."
Yesterday's shipment had already been delivered, and today Futsu Mitama planned to check the sales. Normally, Kuki Shinobu might have told him to wait a few days before checking the results—but this wasn't ordinary wine.
The wine he sold was exceptional, worthy of being promoted as Inazuma's signature product. The International Chamber of Commerce even intended to make it their flagship brand. Selling out overnight wasn't impossible.
Of course, the visit wasn't only about collecting mora. Futsu Mitama also wanted to see whether the Two Commissions were targeting him. Given his recent dealings, that possibility was high. By helping the International Chamber of Commerce, he had inadvertently strengthened them enough to oppose the Kanjou Commission—something that would surely earn their resentment.
As for the Tenryou Commission, with Kujou Sara overseeing it, they were unlikely to act rashly. But now, with Sara dispatched on Resistance business, that restraint might not last. That was why Futsu Mitama had called on Kuki Shinobu—to help him navigate this precarious period.
If they could endure until Kujou Sara returned, or until Kamisato Ayato resolved the matter between the two Commissions, everything could end smoothly. The three set out lightly equipped. As they left Inazuma City, the Shogunate Army guards at the gate noticed them.
"Just came back yesterday, and heading out again today?" one of them asked in surprise.
Futsu Mitama was a familiar face in Inazuma City. A noble whose family had perished, leaving him as the sole heir—if not for the Kamisato Clan's protection, his inheritance would have long been devoured by other houses.
And he was easy to recognize: wherever he went, a beautiful maid was always by his side. In Inazuma City, seeing such a pair almost certainly meant spotting Futsu Mitama and Aila.
What surprised the guards now was that the new deputy of the Arataki Gang, Kuki Shinobu, was accompanying him.
"Yes," Futsu Mitama said, nodding politely. "There's business in Ritou, so I need to head out again today."
He was on friendly terms with the guards, having often passed through the city gates for trade.
"Going out today?" another soldier asked, lowering his voice. "Then be careful. Lately, besides the Nobushi, there's been talk of Resistance members appearing."
He continued in a grim tone, "You wouldn't believe it—last night, a merchant transporting cloth was ambushed. Not by bandits, but by a group calling themselves the Resistance. They took all his goods and declared that unless the Sakoku and Vision Hunt Decrees are lifted, they'll continue acting. They called it… a warning."
The young soldier clenched his fists. "To resist the Shogun's will in Inazuma OUTRAGEOUS! If Lady Kujou hadn't already been dispatched, they would've been captured by now!"
The others nodded, equally incensed. Though some of them privately questioned the decrees, their loyalty to the Shogun remained absolute.
After exchanging a few words, the guards allowed Futsu Mitama's group to pass, reminding them to stay alert and to report immediately if they encountered the Resistance.
Once outside the city, silence fell over the three travelers.
Kuki Shinobu, however, glanced back at Inazuma City, her brow furrowed.
Something felt wrong.
According to Sangonomiya Kokomi, the Resistance had only just been established yesterday—so how could they already be hijacking cloth shipments today?
If they truly meant to resist, wouldn't seizing grain make more sense?
And choosing to act near Inazuma City, of all places? Were they not afraid of being discovered by the Three Commissions—or the Raiden Shogun herself?